NEW YORK: The United States will allow Venezuela to pay for Nicolas Maduro’s legal defense, a court filing showed, lifting a roadblock on the ousted leader’s trial on drug and other charges in New York.
US Treasury sanctions on Venezuela had previously blocked Venezuela — now ruled by Maduro’s deputy — from sending funds to pay for attorneys to represent the leftist strongman and his wife.
Both were snatched by US forces in an overnight raid in early January and flown to New York to face federal criminal charges.
The Maduros’ defence had sought to have their cases dismissed on grounds that blocking the funding violated the US Constitution’s right to counsel of one’s choice.
A court filing on Friday by the US prosecutor in New York said the Treasury’s “Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued amended licenses to counsel for defendants” that authorises them to “receive payments from the Government of Venezuela.”
Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026